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Adding garden hose connection to downspout Answered

Trying to think of a good way to add a garden hose connection to a downspout for directing rainwater elsewhere and or collection. There are diverters/whatnot out there but they seem to be ridiculously overpriced and some have low capture rates. And no, putting a barrel or container right under the downspout isn't really an option.

Idea 1 = plug the bottom of the spout, then add a connection on the side, near the bottom

Idea 2 = plug the bottom of the spout, and integrate a connection into it

Idea 3 = use a flexible connector on the bottom which would go to a round shape, add a PVC cap and add a connection on the end

Idea 4 = use a PVC downspout adapter to attach to a threaded cleanout, then add the connection to the plug

Idea 5 = use two elbows off the bottom (U), and add a connection somewhere on either side of the bend

I'm liking #4 at the moment, but I'm not sure about what exact fittings to use...

One of these? http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/046224/046224250500lg.jpg

Step 1Measure your downspout and purchase a downspout adapter sized to fit. For example, if your downspout is rectangular and 3 inches by 4 inches (the most common size), purchase a 3-inch by 4-inch adapter. (The other end will be round and measure 4 inches in diameter.) Connect the downspout adapter to the downspout.

Step 2Connect the 4-inch round end to a reducing hub designed to reduce the opening to 3 inches.

Step 3Further reduce the size of the opening using a 3-inch reducer that cuts the opening down to a 1-1/2 inch (outside diameter) opening.www.cusabio.com antibody drugStep 4Attach a 1.5 x 3/4 reducing bell to the 1-1/2-inch end of the reducer.

Step 5 Attach a ¾-inch male fitting adapter (slips into small end of the reducing bell and provides male threads for attaching the female end of the garden hose. (As an alternative, use a ¾-inch slip socket to ¾-inch female threaded coupling, followed by a ¾-inch male threaded coupling with a hose bib on the other end---attach the garden hose to the hose bib for easy flow control.)

How high do you plan to put the storage tank relative to the drain that the water currently goes down?

The main thing you need to consider is where the excess water will go once the tank is full.

Unless you can find a suitable set of adaptors to take the current downpipe down to a suitable size to fit a hose to, it would probably be easier and cheaper to just get a blanking plug for the downpipe and glue a suitable hose connector to it.

Obviously the source of the water needs to be high enough for the water to flow into the tank, but I was thinking more about what options you had for dealing with the excess- whether you can have a return or diversion to where the drain is now, or if you'll have to find somewhere else for it to go.

That would normally be a concern, but due to size restrictions a tank to save the water coming from the particular gutter I would use this on, wouldn't be an option. The main focus is just going to be moving the runoff a bit farther away from the area.

As far as the excess, my current thought would be to use a second drain hose farther up the PVC.

The reason a garden hose can move water in any amounts is due to the water pressure. Its usually between 40 and 60 PSI. Gravity over a short distance will not produce anything like that so your flow would be very small which means it would back up and cause flooding to the upper portions of the system, as the others have pointed out. This is why sewer pipes have to be a much larger size than water pipes. They work on gravity flow. You need to have a pipe connection that is as large as or larger than your downspout. Four inch PVC would probably work. As a safety measure the downspout should not have a complete connection to the pipe so if the PVC can't remove the water fast enough or gets clogged up the water will have an escape and not back up in the downspout. So basically what you need to do is make a funnel of sorts, something like a 5 gallon bucket that is attached to a 3 or 4 inch PVC sewer pipe. The downspout drains into that and then gravity directs it away. Downspouts are not made to be water tight because they are not under pressure. If the water backups in one it will leak out all over the place. Remember, for water to flow under gravity the pipe exit has to be lower than the entrance. The exit is going to be the height of the TOP of the storage container. If the top of your storage container is higher than the collection funnel the whole thing will fill up with water and you will get minimal flow. Use a laser level to figure out the rise and run.

The adapter would go to 4" PVC. Using anything smaller would likely get clogged too easily and yes, not enough pressure. Although I don't expect it to be as if you just turned on a hose...The path should be generally level after entering the hose; it's not as if it's going to go uphill.

Also an interesting idea. There wouldn't need to be any changes to the existing downspout....and there should be plenty of buckets around. Still need suggestions as to which coupling to use.

With #4 I might just replace the piece coming down from the gutter with the adapter and an equal length of PVC. It WOULD be water tight and would allow the water to drain from the gutter quickly and build up enough to adequately push it through.

The backup backup (pun intended) still needs to be worked out though. Worse case I guess would be to just drill a hole in the side at a certain level so the water can just run down the outside of the pipe. Or add a similar connection instead with a second hose leading down.

This is one of the failed adapters people had used. There isn't any buildup at all so it just flows right out the top.

If he plans on keeping the hose clamped off or has a sprayer nozzle on it then the water will just pool in the gutter causing all the issues i mention in my post. He also runs the risk of the gutter being ripped off the side of the house from the weight of all that water filling up the gutter.

You do NOT want to restrict the flow of water through the spout. If you do water will quickly build up in the downspout and flood your gutter. This can cause water damage to your walls and roof. If you have a basement then the water could start flooding into it or cause problems with the foundation of the house. They are all long term issues but you still don't want that to be happening.

In the end no matter what kind of fitting you put on the downspout you need a large container to capture and store the water. Even a small house during a 1 inch rain fall can collect tens of gallons of water. You can't use the spout itself to contain the water. The weight of the water will rip it off the house.

Why isn't a barrel or other container an option for under the spout? If it's an HOA issue where the neighborhood doesn't want to see that sort of thing you can always put the barrel underground a couple of feet from the house where you can easily pipe the water into it.

If I wasn't clear, the plan was never to have the downspout actually hold the water. That would be a terrible plan. The connection to the hose would always be open (ie. just a coupling/bushing so you cannot close it) for either going into a container or just moving away from the area. In the particular location, there seems to be an occasional issue with the rain not flowing far enough away from the house. The downspout extensions just haven't worked very well.